To the PUBLICK.
As it has been repeatedly ſuggeſted to the Publiſher, by Perſons, who have ſeen the Manuſcript, that Numbers would be ready to ſuſpect they were not really the Writings of PHILLIS, he has procured the following Atteſtation, from the moſt reſpectable Characters in Boſton, that none might have the leaſt Ground for diſputing their Original.
WE whoſe Names are under-written, do aſſure the World, that the Poems ſpecified in the following Page,[1] were (as we verily believe) written by Phillis, a young Negro Girl, who was but a few Years ſince, brought an uncultivated Barbarian from Africa, and has ever ſince been, and now is, under the Diſadvantage of ſerving as a Slave in a Family in this Town. She has been examined by ſome of the beſt Judges, and is thought qualified to write them.
His Excellency Thomas Hutchinson, Governor,
The Hon. Andrew Oliver, Lieutenant-Governor.
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The Hon. Thomas Hubbard, The Hon. John Erving, The Hon. James Pitts, The Hon. Harriſon Gray, The Hon. James Bowdoin, John Hancock, Eſq; Joſeph Green, Eſq; Richard Carey, Eſq; |
The Rev. Charles Chauncy, D.D. The Rev. Mather Byles, D.D. The Rev. Ed. Pemberton, D.D. The Rev. Andrew Elliot, D.D. The Rev. Samuel Cooper, D.D. The Rev. Mr. Samuel Mather, The Rev. Mr. John Moorhead, Mr. John Wheatley, her Maſter. |
N.B. The original Atteſtation, ſigned by the above Gentlemen, may be ſeen by applying to Archibald Bell, Bookſeller, No. 8, Aldgate-Street.
- ↑ The Words "following Page," allude to the Contents of the Manuſcript Copy, which are wrote at the Back of the above Atteſtation.
